June Givanni, a trailblazing film curator, writer, and programmer specializing in African and African diaspora cinema, has been selected to receive the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema honor at the 2024 BAFTA Film Awards. This prestigious award is reserved for individuals or organizations that have made a substantial and inspiring impact on film through a specific project or body of work, particularly recognizing efforts that might not fit into BAFTA’s competitive awards categories.
Givanni is the founder of The June Givanni PanAfrican Archive (JGPACA), located in London. This volunteer-run archive, accumulated over 40 years of Givanni’s curatorial work, is dedicated to preserving the history of pan-African and Black British cinema and culture. It houses over 10,000 rare and unique artifacts documenting the evolution of filmmaking across Africa and the African diaspora, including in Britain. The JGPACA has grown to become one of the largest independent archives in the U.K.
Jane Millichip, CEO of BAFTA, praised Givanni’s pioneering efforts, emphasizing her significant contributions to preserving, studying, and celebrating African and African Diaspora cinema, as well as Black British cultural heritage. The EE BAFTA Film Awards will shine a spotlight on Givanni’s work, acknowledging her extraordinary archive and its role in showcasing filmmakers and stories within the pan-African context.
Upon receiving the recognition, Givanni expressed shock and honor, acknowledging the privilege of working with inspired and inspiring individuals in the world of cinema, particularly in the realm of Pan African cinema and culture. She highlighted the dynamic energies brought by the younger generation of thinkers, curators, and artists who engage with and discover archives of the moving image from a pre-digital age.
June Givanni’s career began as the coordinator of Third Eye London’s first Festival of Third World Cinema. She later set up and managed the African Caribbean Film Unit at the BFI, co-founding the quarterly Black Film Bulletin. Givanni also programmed the Planet Africa segment at the Toronto International Film Festival over four years. Her work as a film curator spans five continents, contributing to the global progress of pan-African cinema studies. Givanni has authored books, including “Remote Control: Dilemmas of Black Intervention in British Film and TV” and “Symbolic Narratives/African Cinema: Audiences, Theory and the Moving Image.”
The BAFTA Film Awards ceremony, hosted by David Tennant, is scheduled for February 18 at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London.
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